After an early conclusion to the Texas A&M women’s golf spring campaign in early 2025 during the NCAA regional tournament took away its chance at a deep postseason run, the tide has since shifted for the Maroon and White.
The reloaded squad accomplished an undefeated stroke play season and took home four trophies. The Aggies opened the season with back-to-back wins, finishing with a lead of more than three strokes, followed by a second-place title in a match play event. Then, A&M rounded off its season with two consecutive victories, this time on Texas grass, where it pulled ahead on the third day and secured hardware — fueled in part by the swings of two rookies: freshmen Brynn Kort and Natalie Yen. The fall results could be a set stage for a conference title in the Aggies’ upcoming season.
From Kingman, Arizona, Kort held the No. 5 spot in the 2025 class, according to the Junior Scoreboard ranking. Being one of the top prospects in the nation, Kort decided to exchange the Arizona heat for Texas heat as she stepped into her collegiate golf career.
“I showed up to campus on my visit, and I was like, ‘This is home; when you know, you know,’” Kort said. “The coaching staff, our facilities, just like, the Aggie network and stuff, there’s so much support, not just around football. It’s athletics in general. I was like, ‘I love that.’ There was really no other school like that. And I was like, ‘I want to be a part of that.’”
Qualifying for a spot in the opening tournament, Kort — now wearing maroon and white — stepped onto the Division 1 stage at the links of Pebble Beach. In her first glimpse of the caliber of competition, Kort pulled out a 3-over finish during the two-day tournament.
As she settled into her game at a new level, Kort marked two top-five finishes in her next three stroke play tournaments. Carrying a 70.5 scoring average, she ended her first semester ranked No. 70 nationally.
“If I’m good enough to be on A&M’s team, then I can play against these girls,” Kort said. “It was kind of like having to trick yourself a little bit into being like, ‘It’s not that big of a deal,’ just so I didn’t freak out.”
Kort led the Aggies in their win at the Folds of Honor Collegiate where she punched in a runner-up finish. Finishing out her season, she secured a fourth-place finish at the Bear Brawl in Waco and was, yet again, a top contributor to another notch added to A&M’s belt.
With A&M earning the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation, it still had more depth to deploy from their starting five. Yen made a name for herself even before stepping into Aggieland.
The No. 4 recruit in the country, according to the Junior Golf Scoreboard ranking, won the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball with her partner just three months before arriving in Aggieland.
Yen’s decision to join A&M was curated by more than success rates, but, more importantly, by the culture that surrounded the program.
“Just the support of the 12th Man, truly, it was like, ‘I can’t not pick it,’” Yen said. “There’s no better place for me to go.”
The West Linn, Oregon, native backed up her commitment with her scorecards. She qualified for all five tournaments with the Aggies and pulled out steady rounds across all events.
Yen finished 14th in the season opener at the Carmel Cup and capped off her season with an eighth-place finish at the Bear Brawl.
She represented the Maroon and White well on the national stage, claiming No. 188 national rank and a 71.6 scoring average as the fall slate came to a close.
With the spring season on the horizon, the question lingers if the Aggies will be back in contention for a conference title or a swing at a national title. With seven tournaments on its slate, including one hosted at its very own Traditions Club in College Station, these young talents could be the new catalysts needed to bring home victories during the depth of the season when A&M is bound to endure even stronger competition.
“It’s knowing that we’re wearing that 12 on the last day of every tournament, we’re putting on the maroon and white,” Yen said. “And we’re representing every Aggie that’s come through the school on a national level and just the opportunity to show off the maroon and white and make a name for this amazing university; that’s what drives me.”
